The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-12-01
"Then is It the white man who splits

"Then Is 1t the white man who splits
rails?"
Acton seemed vastly amused at the
idea, and shook his head again laugh
ing.
"Who is Billy then? Oh!
is it an animal? Is it a rabbit? Have
you tanned q rabbit, a raccoon, or q
fox?"
Her eyes were alight with pleasure
at this thought; but no-the mys-
terry was not yet solved. "You'll new.
er guess in the world" said Acton,
with an exultant laugh, and refused
to commit himself further.
Alberta began to be afraid OF "Bil-
ly's" intiuence-whatever influence
that was-when it gradually became
apparent that Acton's bad moods
were more apt to occur on his return
from the woods than at any other
time. So it was her constant care to
see that he stayed off to the woods
alone as little as possible.
Judge Sharp, a portly though fine
looking widower OF Wiregrass Ridge,
the neighboriug village, had fallen in
love with Alberta, and apparently
had made up his mind to try his for
tune as sutton for her hand, greatly
to the indignation OF Acton who very
soon took steps toward driving this
presuming judge away. The second
time he came the boy began operations.
The afternoon was warm and Alberta
and the judge were seated on q long
front piazza, where Aunt Dlcey had
brought tray with glasses and a
silver tankard containing cool
drink. What now must Acton do but
seat himself in of the parlor windows
with q pocket full OF hard chinaberries
and q popgun! He first aimed his
shots at the nearest white wooden
pillar supporting the piazza's roof,
then at the silver tankard at the
Judges elbow. But presently a berry
flew and struck the Judge on the ear
with stinging force, whereupon that
gentleman started half up, turned
blood-red and remarked, with an un-
comfortable smile:
"Your brother Is playful"
After listening to his mortified sis.
ter's rebuke, Acton left the house, de.
claring that it was his intention to 60
"down in the woods and see Billy
Later, when the Judge had departed,
Alberta went out for a walk in the
same direction. The girl was losing
heart; she was afraid Acton could
never be cured. And what then? Was
her gallant, hot tempered captain
never to come back to her? The
thought smote upon her heavy heart
and q little farther on she sat down in
the billowy wire-grass and sobbed.
Hope came to her at last; she rose
and went on, and presently came upon
Acton. He was seated on the ground
with his legs apart and his back
against a log. A strange smile played
about his face. and his eyes were in
tently fixed on something just before
him. One step nearer, and Alberta
saw that a snake was coiled up be
tween the boys legs-an ugly yellow
ish snake which seemed to submit
peaceably to the caressing touch O
the boys hand upon its uplifteo
head.
Alberta knew a rattle-snake wher
she saw one. Quite beside hersel
with terror, she ran forward
screaming and calling her broth
er's name. Both boy and snake
were rudely startled-the one spring
ing up with an impatient cry, the 9th
er lifting higher its ugly head and send
ing a wave-like motion throughout al
it's trembling yellow-brown coils. al
berta came on as near as she dared
still screaming and calling Actor
to run away? And then, before they
knew it, the hideous rattle sounded
and the angry snake struck out ans
bit the boy on the right foot just
above the low shoe.top. He had al
ready taken step toward his shrek
ing sister, and now, pausing only tt
give one backward reproachful glance
at his false-hearted playfellow, thu
boy moved on.
"Alberta. what made you hollel
and scare Billy for?" he asked, in pet
ulant reproof. 'Now he's gone ant
bit me-"
"Bitten you-oh, Acton! Wha1
were you doing with it?" She caugh'
him in her arms and looked abou
wildly for the snake, but the angry
"Billy" had already taken himself of
Sometime later, when Aunt Dice!
went down to the front gate to see
Miss Alberta was returning, she hear(
some one screaming not far away il
the woods and fancied she heard tn
sound OF her young mistress voice
The old woman opened the gate il
considerable alarm and hurried alon
the carriage road. The cries cam
from the woods to the right. Yes
| yes-it was Alberta's voice!
"Oh, laws-a-mussy! wut de mat tie
wild dab chile?" cried Aunt Dicey, ter
rifel. She deserted the road and
with beating heart and hated breath
ran across the woods in the direction
OF the sound. Far away, she say
them, Acton limp and motionless OF
a log, and Alberta bending low owe
him. Once the girl stood erect ant
uttered succession of cries whicl
echoed through the woods, then ben
low over the boy again. Again sh
stood up and seemed to try to lif
and carry him in her arms, but onl,
succeeded in dragging him Jew fee
over the grass toward second log
She lay face forward in the wire-gras
and was sucking the blood from tn
wound in Actions foot when Aunt Di
cey arrived, breathless, on the scene.
They took the insensible boy be
tween them and labored with hin
across the stretch OF pine woods am
up the road to the house. Stout oil
Aunt Dicey seized hold OF him unde
the arms, while Alberta lifted his feet
ever and anon bending over and suck
ing the frest-starting blood from
the wound as they stumbled along
They got him there at las
and placed him on lounge in tn
sitting Alberta falling upon he
| knees without a word and sucking tn